Tech Level
Tech Levels are a crucial part of GURPS system, and of the Infinite Worlds setting. Very simply, they can be listed on a scale from Tech Level 0 (Stone Age) through Tech Level 8 (Digital Age) to Tech Level As High as the Game Master wishes (sci-fi) which represents a general rating of a society’s highest achievement in technology. This is however complicated somewhat by a special nomenclature for split technologies (if a world is more advanced in some fields), and different technologies (psi, magic, science). This page will attempt to provide a brief overview. For full overview, see references. Skills Basic Set: Campaigns page 513 discusses having multiple versions of a skill for different tech levels and how you can save points by defaulting, using the modifiers from Basic Set: Characters page 168 which has 2 categories: *IQ-Based Technological Skills *Other Technological Skills Traits Advantages: *'High TL' (called High Technology in 3e) * Gadgeteering (allows access to cinematic New Inventions guidelines) Disadvantages: *Low TL (called Primitive in 3e) What makes a Tech Level? '“Tech level” (TL) is a general rating of a society’s highest achievement in technology (or a certain type of technology).'(sic) Please note that tech levels have somewhat changed between editions. The below chart is intended to represented the newest, 4th Edition. The biggest changes from 1st-3rd ed was the elimination of ending dates and the introduction of superscience. For an older version (3rd ed.) see Technology Levels (3rd Edition). Also note that GURPS Lensman uses a totally different Tech level system called Tech Stages. General Tech Level Overview Tech Level by Field "Note that TLs have start dates but not end dates. The innovations of a given TL fade as those of higher TLs displace them, but they rarely vanish completely. A blacksmith in 1850s England uses TL3 techniques to shoe the horses that pull the carriage the gentleman rides to catch his TL5 train to London – and those techniques might still exist in TL8, albeit as a quaint hobby." B511 Fine Tuning TLs Because TLs have no end dates it is very easy for a culture to have a wide range of TLs even within a category. For example, there are still plenty of totally functional TL6 cars on the road even as prototypes of TL9 self driving cars are being built. In fact, it could even be argued that cars didn't really reach TL7 until the mid to late 1970s. There are built-in systems to assist in these and other complications, if the GM wants to have a more "realistic" setting. Borderline technology: TLOld-TLNew. Example: TL5-6. For societies in transition from one tech level to another. Split technologies: TLPrimary (fields, TLSecondary). Example: TL8 (Communications TL7, Medical TL9). For societies more or less advanced in some fields. Borrowed (familiar) technologies: TLKnown/Familiar. Example: TL1/2 (Bronze Age society familiar with Iron Age technology). For societies familiar with other level of technologies but not able (or willing) to replicate them. Divergent Technology: TL(Historical+Divergent). Example: TL(5+1) is a TL6, with historical Earth-like TL5, but somewhat different TL6 (same effects, different form). For alternate worlds which "look" different. Characters not used to truely divergent technology suffer a -2 penalty. Equivalent TL: what the TL appears to be due to Magic or Superscience. It may or may not actually be that TL.GURPS Fantasy 66 Outside the normal TL scale (superscience): marked by ^. These are technologies that violate our current understanding of physical laws (relativity, conservation of energy, etc.). For this reason any TL assigned to them is arbitrary. So FTL travel can be TL6^, TL(6+4)^, TL10^ or something else entirely depending on the setting. This is why broadcast power has two totally different TLs: TL6^ (Infinite Worlds, Gernsback) and TL10^ (Ultra-Tech). Tech Level Modifiers This table is for characters using technology more / less advanced with regards to IQ based TL skills. In settings with superscience or magic this refers to the mundane TL not the Equivalent TL. "Technological skills based on attributes other than IQ let you use technology; they do not assume any real understanding of the science or engineering behind the tools."Basic Set 168 For these type of skills apply a flat penalty of -1 per TL of difference between the skill and the equipment. So a TL6 soldier could fire a TL7 gun at -1 skill rather then -5. Non IQ Tech skills are Beam Weapons†, Boating†, Driving†, Environment Suits†, Gunner†, Guns†, Liquid Projector†, Parachuting, Piloting†, Sewing, and Submarine†. Familiarity is in regards to a skill limited to a certain type of equipment. Skills with a specialization (marked with a † in the List of Skills) can have their own familiarity penalties with the default at -2. Important note: Familiarity and difference in TL penalties are cumulative. For example, you have Armoury (Small Arms; beam weapons)/TL9 and try to repair a TL10 portable railgun. The skill states that this unfamiliarity incurs a -2 and so you are at -7 to skill. (-2 for being unfamiliar with the weapon and an additional -5 for the rifle being 1 TL above you) Similarity, you have Beam Weapons (pistol)/TL9 and try to use a TL10 laser rifle. The skill states that the specializations default to each other at -4 and so you are at -9 to skill. (-4 for being unfamiliar with the weapon and an additional -5 for the rifle being 1 TL above you) Improving the TL Characters have two realistic options (Building Up Local Technology and New Inventions) and one cinematic option (Gadgeteering) for improving the local TL. Generally these methods are expensive in terms of money and time "The equipment listed for a TL does not appear all at once as soon as a society enters that TL. Instead, items appear gradually after that date."Basic Set 511 This is as true within a category as it is between categories. Figuring out 3e TLs in 4e See Divergent Technology for more details. The change in the TL scale between GURPS 3e and GURPS 4e resulted in many future TLs being classified as Alternate technology and many divergent technologies (such in Steampunk) being folded into the standard TL scale or becoming superscience. As a result many of the future TLs in GURPS 3e books don't quite line up with 4e TLs causing problems. David L. Pulver provided very rough conversion chart in the GURPS forums. It should be mentioned that dates in either TL system are approximations: Television, which GURPS states is a TL7 device, goes back to 1909 which is firmly in the realm of TL6. Furthermore the first commercial TVs similar to what we would recognize appeared in the 1930s and were used to show the 1936 Summer Olympics and the coronation of George VI in 1937. Similarly, personal computers (TL8) appeared before 1980+: Xerox PARC's Alto (1972), MITS Altair 8800 (1975), and the Apple II (1977) are some of the better remembered ones today. Heck, we have fledgling artificial intelligence and robot cars (TL9) right now...well before the 2025+? date given by GURPS. Also GURPS puts fuel cells at TL8 even though the first reference of them occurs in 1838...well in TL6. The Gemini and later Apollo spacecraft used fuel cells and that is firmly in TL7. GURPS 4e puts alternating current as TL6 (1880+) but first alternating current generator was invented in 1832 and the first public use of AC systems were in the late 1870's...well before the "start" date for TL6. ''Pyramid'' Themes : Pyramid groups TLs into three 'themes' which it alternates between with each issuehttp://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/wishlist.html. These themes are a useful way of roughly describing the time period and correspond to the various GUPRS tech books: *'Fantasy/Past': TL0 through TL4 (up to 1700 AD); GURPS Low-Tech *'Modern': TL5 through early TL8; GURPS High-Tech *'Space/Future': TL8 and beyond; GURPS Ultra-Tech :These are 'rough' because for example Modern goes from the 1700s through to early 2000s, so Modern includes everything from cowboys in the wild wild west to Neil Armstrong and the first moon landing. References * 4th Edition Basic Set, p.511-514, and also p.168-169. * 4th Edition High-Tech, p.6-7 * 4th Edition Ultra-Tech, p.6-7 Category:Concepts Category:4th Edition Category:Technology